City council members work together to represent a town, city or borough similar to how Congress functions at the federal level. The duties of a city council member depend on the needs of the ware or district which they serve. Some responsibilities of a city council member include:

• Introducing new laws for the city
• Voting on legislation to decide whether motions become laws
• Negotiating the city budget
• Approving the city budget
• Monitoring city agencies like the police force and public works departments to ensure they’re effectively serving their communities
• Reviewing land usage within a city
• Deciding how best to grow and develop city properties
• Attending monthly or bi-weekly public city council meetings
• Attending both private and public special city council sessions, like planning meetings
• Taking public comments and questions at city council meetings
• Interacting with news media to answer questions and provide comments for stories
• Working as members of specialized council committees, such as parks and recreation, to oversee matters pertaining to that area of city life
• Meeting with constituents and local business owners to discuss issues
• Voting on the hiring and dismissal of city and government employees, such as police officers or community library staff
• Writing grants to earn money or secure resources for city projects
• Brainstorming and setting projects to use grant funding and resources
• Setting the agenda for all city council meetings
• Approving contracts and bids for city projects
• Regulating land use by creating or modifying zoning laws
• Representing the community and constituents during meetings and hearings with higher government officials, such as at the state or federal level
• Establishing long- and short-term goals for the council and the city
• Establishing tax rates for the city
• Modifying the city’s charter, as necessary
• Borrowing funds from other sources to meet city needs
• Regulating public health and safety practices
• Regulating business activity in the city, such as issuing licenses for new businesses
• Coordinating city events like parades, fairs and festivals

Related: How To Become a City Council Member in 4 Steps (With Skills)

Skills for a city council member

City council members use a variety of technical and interpersonal skills to do their jobs most effectively. Some important skills for a city council member include:

• Knowledge of legislative procedures
• Knowledge of city law and ordinances
• Proficiency in business math, such as budgeting
• Knowledge of public safety and emergency best practices
• Public speaking abilities
• Data analysis
• Logical decision-making abilities
• Verbal and written communication
• Attentive listening abilities
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Integrity
• Organization
• Persuasiveness
• Negotiation abilities
• Leadership
• Hours
• Being a city council member can be a full-time job in some locations and a part-time job in others. This often depends on the size of the city in which you serve. Larger municipalities such as New York City or Los Angeles have full-time city council members. They often work traditional business hours, but may also work nights and weekends to hold meetings or events that are open to the public.
• Part-time city council members often have other full-time jobs during the day. They meet in the evenings and on weekends to discuss city matters. Part-time city council members may also make arrangements to meet with other city officials, constituents or business owners during their lunch hours to address time-sensitive matters.

·         Dress code

• Most city council members dress in formal work attire. That means most acceptable outfits include suits, ties, blazers, professional blouses and skirts. Full-time city council members likely follow this dress code every day when they come to work at city hall. Part-time city council members may follow this dress code when attending council meetings and other city events.
• Council members may dress casually or in business casual attire when attending certain city events not during traditional business hours. For example, if a city council member attended the town’s first little league game of the season, they would likely dress in casual clothes instead of formal work attire, despite representing the local government at the event.

** This information was taken from:  What Does a City Council Member Do? (With Skills) | Indeed.com

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Here are a few common requirements for council members:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a United States citizen
• Be a resident of the city, state and district you’re running in
• Be registered to vote in your city
• Have a clean legal record
• Have no conflicts of interest